MN HF1250

Appropriates $168,512,000 in FY2026 and $775,000 in FY2027 from Minnesota's outdoor heritage fund for natural resource conservation projects across five categories: prairies ($34.2M), forests ($20.4M), wetlands ($29.7M), habitats ($82.2M), and administration ($2.8M)

Funds land acquisition, restoration, and enhancement projects through partnerships with organizations including Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Land Trust, and various watershed districts

Establishes a Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program providing $15 million in competitive matching grants up to $500,000 for habitat protection, with at least $4 million reserved for the seven-county metro area and $4 million for first-time applicants

Amends Minnesota Statutes section 97A.056 to allow land acquired with outdoor heritage fund money to be used as leverage for federal conservation grants (Pittman-Robertson, Dingell-Johnson, North American Wetlands Conservation Act) without requiring prior Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council approval

Extends availability of certain prior appropriations through June 30, 2026 or 2031 and cancels $120,000 from a 2020 appropriation effective upon enactment